The average reach for each doctor post was over 2,000 local residents. These posts were used to educate people on the importance of proper disposal of medications and to consider a non-drug approach to pain management involving chiropractic.

Highest reach with 4.4K people

From 10a to 2p, Michigan residents brought in their unused meds to law enforcement agencies around the state where they were safely disposed of. Almost one million pounds of prescription drugs were collected across the U.S.

“This is only the beginning of the role MAC doctors will play in reducing the amount of drugs used in Michigan,” said Dr. Christophe Dean, MAC PR Committee Chairman.

“People were coming into the State Police Headquarters during Take Back Day saying ‘Is this the chiropractic drug return place?’” said Kathy Schaefer, MAC PR consultant.

In June the MAC will be featured in a news broadcast with the newly appointed U.S. Attorney.

Among the Eastern District, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider has handled high-profile cases including prosecuting members of the Devil’s Diciples motorcycle gang.

“This was a horrendous group of criminals,” he said. “They preyed on female victims in order to help distribute methamphetamines and trafficked meth across the state and across the country, who used violence and murder to combat their opponents.” (M-LIVE)

Eric DiMartino

The U.S. Attorney is very concerned about how pharmaceutical drugs are turning people into drug addicts. The MAC’s non-drug health approach is aligned with this top law enforcement official’s agenda. Dr. Eric DiMartino, a member of the MAC PR Committee will represent the MAC in the newscast. Stay tuned!

This change occurred in 2016, according to data published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. And it seemed to happen pretty suddenly.

Data from the National Vital Statistics System show that there were 42,249 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2016. That includes 19,413 that involved synthetic opioids, 17,087 that involved prescription opioids and 15,469 that involved heroin. (In some cases, more than one type of drug was implicated in the death.)

That means synthetic opioids were a factor in 46 percent of all fatal opioid overdoses in 2016, compared with 40 percent for prescription opioids.

Just one year earlier, in 2015, 29 percent of all opioid-related overdose deaths involved a synthetic opioid (9,580 out of 33,091 deaths).

The year before that, in 2014, synthetic opioids played a role in just 19 percent of all opioid-related overdose deaths (5,544 out of 28,647 deaths).

Between 2010 and 2013, the percentage of fatal opioid overdoses that involved a synthetic opioid held relatively steady, ranging from 11 percent to 14 percent.

The National Vital Statistics System is maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It includes information on all deaths in the U.S., based on the death certificates from coroners and medical examiners across the country.

It’s also possible that synthetic opioids may have played a bigger role in previous years, but medical examiners didn’t see it because there was less testing for these types of drugs, they said.

Regardless, the new figures make clear that the surge in synthetic opioids “poses substantial risks to individual and public health,” the researchers wrote in JAMA. “Clinicians, first responders, and lay persons likely to respond to an overdose should be trained on synthetic opioid risks and equipped with multiple doses of naloxone,” a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

You may be able to avoid back pain or prevent its recurrence by improving your physical condition and learning and practicing proper body mechanics.To keep your back healthy and strong:

Exercise. Regular low-impact aerobic activities — those that don’t strain or jolt your back — can increase strength and endurance in your back and allow your muscles to function better. Walking and swimming are good choices. Talk with your doctor about which activities are best for you.

Build muscle strength and flexibility. Abdominal and back muscle exercises (core-strengthening exercises) help condition these muscles so that they work together like a natural corset for your back. Flexibility in your hips and upper legs aligns your pelvic bones to improve how your back feels. Your doctor or physical therapist can tell which exercises are right for you.

Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight strains back muscles. If you’re overweight, trimming down can prevent back pain.

Use proper body mechanics:

Stand smart. Maintain a neutral pelvic position. If you must stand for long periods, place one foot on a low footstool to take some of the load off your lower back. Alternate feet. Good posture can reduce the stress on back muscles.

Sit smart. Choose a seat with good lower back support, armrests and a swivel base. Consider placing a pillow or rolled towel in the small of your back to maintain its normal curve. Keep your knees and hips level. Change your position frequently, at least every half-hour.

Lift smart. Avoid heavy lifting, if possible, but if you must lift something heavy, let your legs do the work. Keep your back straight — no twisting — and bend only at the knees. Hold the load close to your body. Find a lifting partner if the object is heavy or awkward.